As a collective group, they've won four of the past five world
titles, and just as many World Finals events. Over the past three
years, they've claimed three consecutive Rookie-of-the-Year
titles.

Last year, they won 11 Built Ford Tough Series events en route
to placing seven riders among the Top 10 in the world standings,
and eventually recorded the Top 6 finishes at the season-ending
World Finals in Las Vegas.

Of course, that group can only be a Brazilian contingent of
riders, who have established a five-year dominance that is
unparalleled in PBR history, and after this past weekend's event in
New York, shows no signs of waning anytime soon.

Among the usual suspects are Silvano Alves,
Guilherme Marchi, Valdiron de
Oliveira, Renato Nunes, Robson
Palermo and Fabiano Vieira.
Edevaldo Ferreira, Emilio
Resende, Marco Eguchi and Agnaldo
Cardozo are also expected to be in the mix this
season.

Prior to the Monster Energy Invitational, the CBS Sports Network
broadcast team of Sam Gore, Ty Murray and Leah
Garcia met with a trio of Top 10 riders ― Austin
Meier, Palermo and J.B. Mauney ― and
among the topics was: "Why are the Brazilians so much better?"

Murray, whose straight-to-the-point line of questioning rivaled
late night talk show host Charlie Rose, prodded each of the three
for direct responses to his inquiry.

"You can talk to 1,000 kids and they don't say, 'I
want to be a World Champion.' They say, 'I want to ride in the
PBR.'… You should strive to be a World Champion."

Friday evening, in a room down the hall from where the rest of
the top riders were readying their gear for the first event of the
2013 season, Palermo sat silent as Meier was the first to share his
thoughts and insight on the matter.

"I think there are a lot of guys who grew up here who take what
we have here for granted," Meier said. "When you have a guy like
Robson, and many others, who are coming over here, they're
investing their whole future ― their whole life ― into making it
over here. It's a pretty good expense, I would think, to come over
here and not ride good. I think that's one big part of it."

Murray agreed with Meier.

He added, "They see the opportunity."

Meier's first thoughts mirror a comment made a few years ago by
J.W. Hart when he said the Brazilian riders have
all earned Ph.Ds in bull riding. It was a humorous, but truthful,
way of saying they were "poor, hungry and determined."

Meier then pointed out that by in large, the Brazilian riders ―
he specifically name-checked Alves ― have been "smart about
drafting bulls."

Although Alves may have been criticized over the past two
seasons, Meier added, "If that's the way the game is going to roll,
play the game as best you can. And he did two years in a row."

Last October, Alves became the first rider in PBR history to win
back-to-back world titles.

More importantly, Meier surmised, "They're just good."

With Palermo quietly listening and nodding in agreement as Meier
continued, he then pointed out the advantage of having strength in
numbers.

The Brazilians not only work at their craft every day, but they
also work together during the week, as well as at the events.

Meier told Murray and the others that he's envious of the fact
that any time one of the Brazilians climbs into the bucking chute,
several others are always right there to pull his rope, spot him
and to offer words of encouragement.

He noted that collectively, there is an overwhelming drive to
succeed.

Despite being an individual sport, it's clearly a group
effort.

In fact, the bond they develop ― largely because of being in a
foreign country ― and the success they've achieved has not been
seen since the mid-to-late 1980s when Murray traveled with
Jim Sharp, Lane
Frost, Tuff Hedeman and Cody
Lambert.

"When you have a carload of guys all traveling together," Meier
said, "you feed off of it. If you see your traveling partner and he
just went out there and cracked one for 88, well, you're going to
crack one for 89, because you don't want to be the low dog back in
the room.

"With as many (Brazilians) as there are here, they all feed off
that energy. We've all seen and noticed if one is getting on that
whole area is crowded and they're pushing each other. I don't know
half the words they're saying, but you can tell it's intense.
They're driving each other and you don't see that with the
Americans."

To be successful, Meier (and others) realize there's something
to be learned from the way the Brazilians go about their business
and handle themselves in and out of the arena.

Palermo's eventual response was interesting.

He said when he first came to the U.S., in 2006, he watched
Justin McBride, Ross Coleman,
Hart and Tater Porter, and saw how the four of
them banned together and worked together.

Wherever you saw one, you were certain to find the other
three.

In recent years, Palermo said he doesn't see that as much with
some of the current riders.

Robson Palermo and Silvano Alves at the 2012 World
Finals.

"In past years, you don't see that much," Palermo explained. "A
couple guys go over there and pull the rope and 'bear down.' 'OK.'
I think if those guys try to be more together, more of a group, I
think for sure those guys have a chance to beat us Brazilians.

"You need talent, but if you have a group and you help each
other… this is important."

Palermo, who won the first BFTS event of the 2013 season, said
he the others not only talk and analyze afterwards, but more
importantly, they discuss strategies beforehand.

They are constantly striving to win.

That was the same observation Lostroh made last October when he
talked with several riders in the locker room at the conclusion of
the World Finals. He talked about rallying the riders to want to
win-if for no other reason than pride.

Not since Kody Lostroh won the title in 2009
has an American been the World Champion, and Troy
Dunn, who claimed the title in 1998, is the only
non-American and non-Brazilian to win the gold buckle.

Five different Brazilian riders ― Adriano
Moraes (3), Ednei Caminhas (1), Marchi
(1), Nunes (1) and Alves (2) ― have accounted for eight world
titles in the first 19 seasons, including three in a row and four
of the past five.

The American riders have only won three in a row twice in the
PBR's 19-year history. Hedeman, Owen Washburn and
Michael Gaffney did it from 1995 to 1997, and then
Chris Shivers, Mike Lee and McBride won three in a row for the
Americans in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

When asked what it will take to win a world title in 2013, Meier
pointedly explained, "You have to want it more."

However, his extended answer related to his opening comment.

Meier, who turned 26 on Saturday, was honest and forthright in
admitting that too often riders are happy to have made it to the
BFTS and are not preparing to be a World Champion.

"You can talk to 1,000 kids and they don't say, 'I want to be a
World Champion,'" Meier said. "They say, 'I want to ride in the
PBR.'… You should strive to be a World Champion."